Rating: 
Summary: Problems with my IHP 140
Review: Great Product ! Great sound, though the output amplifier is too weak to drive larger headphones with low impedance - however most portable headphones work well. IRiver seems to have recognized this - newer products have more milliwatts output !
Digital recording via optical input might cause problems when recording from older PCM machines (like Sony PCM 501/601) or DAT when dropouts occur - recording pauses and does not restart.
Not being able to record from the FM tuner really is a pity !!!
The navigation button on the front is terrible. I nearly never use remote control because I hate cables...
Should I have waited for the newer IRiver devices with USB-on- the-go (OTG) function ?
Rating: 
Summary: iRiver does it again!
Review: I have an iRiver flash player that I absolutely love, but I also wanted a player that could hold all of my music. I seriously compared the iRiver and iPods and decided to go with iRiver based on the slightly better price and FM tuner (come on iPod, what's the problem?). I am very happy and impressed. The controls can take some getting used to, but they are virtually identical to the flash player's, so I had no trouble with them. Set-up was fast and easy. Note: Even though Windows XP recognizes the player automatically, you do need to go and update the driver with the ones from the disk to get the full database features. Also, download Winamp to create custom playlists for the player.
Rating:
Summary: After 2 months of research, the iHP-140 Won my money!
Review: Just purchased the iHP-140 from Amazon.com recently, after 2+ months of researching for the BEST mp3 player out there for the money.I won't go into very technical details with this review. POSITIVE ASPECTS.. FIRST..It has the LONGEST BATTERY LIFE out there. 16 hours based on "normal" playback. Takes 3 hours to charge from a COMPLETELY discharged state. (Much less time if battery still partially charged.) After I researched iPod and ALL others, this was the longest battery life you could get. Has an internal rechargable battery with no memory effect. SECOND...Some people say that there is a long "learning curve" to this player. Actually, if you can move files in Windows Explorer, you can drag and drop files directly. AND with the USB 2.0, its a flash to drop files... virtually NO waiting. I've become the queen of copy and paste my files to this player. THIRD...You can use it as an extra, external Hard Drive for storing or exchanging files. (a big plus if you need extra HD space) FOURTH...Has a GREAT FM Radio! No, you can't record directly from the FM Radio to the player, but...I haven't done that in years, so this is an UNimportant aspect.
FIFTH....Recording operations are numerous..YOU CAN RECORD FROM OTHER EXTERNAL AUDIO SOURCES. Just plug in something (like someone's CD player) into the optical jack. OR.. I can use the EXTERNAL MICROPHONE to the LINE IN jack. It can be a DIGITAL VOICE recorder (just talk into the thing while recording voice, just like a separate DVR unit).
OH... it comes with all the stuff to record from these devices. SIXTH...Compare the price to the 40GB iPOD???? OUCH!! iHP-140 sure does win over that one! SEVENTH...Media player compatability is the BEST. It is not just pigeon-held to only MP3 types of media. It is compatable with SEVERAL file types (see product specs). AND the firmware is upgradeable! So future upgrades are a big plus. This unit will still be great in the future too. EIGHTH...you can plug this puppy into a car radio, via a "purchased separately" cassette thing. AND there are many more positive aspects to this unit if you like to customize your music, playback options, equalizer, sound, etc. NEGATIVES........ *Cost can be an issue for some people. I paid a grand total of $400.00 even. CHEAPEST anywhere! All on Amazon.com!!! Trust me, I've looked EVERYWHERE, (ebay, used, new, retail, wholesale etc.) Amazon had it on sale, with FREE shipping, and $30.00 off for opening up a credit line with them. So, got a great deal. *The earbud earphones are uncomfortable for me. So they supply a special adapter jack for other types of earphones if the ones you like don't fit the units earphone jack. *The unit is slightly heavy, I just weighed it on a postage scale, with the case its about 8 - 10 ounces. Not for joggers, but bikers and for regular people, its great. FINALLY..I just wanted a digital player because my cd's were constantly getting lost, scratched or "borrowed" from my teenager. I just wanted to listen to music without the hassels of changing a cd, or carrying around a cd player. With the 1200 hours of music I can store on this, I'll never have to search for a cd again! AND ... it won't be outdated in 6 months! I wanted to have this be the first, and possibly last digital music player I would ever need. WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT. :-)
Rating:
Summary: WOW!!! BEST PURCHASE I HAVE EVER MADE!!!!
Review: I just bought this thing from Amazon and all I can say is WOW!!!! This is probably the best purchase I have ever made. This thing is everything I ever expected and more!! It's easy to use as well - even my wife can operate it! I have to say, everyone out there who is thinking of buying this, stop thinking. I bought it and I am extremely happy with it the moment I powered this thing on. YOU ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS PURCHASE! I GUARANTEE IT!!!
Rating:
Summary: A superb product!
Review: This is a superb unit. Read the manual, play with it a little, and you will find that it is really simple to use, very user friendly, and will give you an excellent musical listening experience. I have now used it for a month and can't imagine buying a different unit. Below are a few specific comments.
There are only three functions to master on the control button: a short click, a long click, and pushing it back and forth or up and down. That's it. Practice and you will find that it is easy to operate. The remote is even easier to use. The sound is excellent! While the included headphones do not compare to my Bose or Grado headphones, they are convenient to use and more than adequate for listening while in the gym or commuting. One of the main reasons that I purchased this unit was to record audio from my computer (I subscribe to Music Match's platinum service). In addition, although you cannot record from the FM tuner on the unit, you can record FM from your stereo or computer. Keep in mind that the maximum size wav file you can record at one time is about one hour and fifteen minutes; after that the unit will stop recording and go into standby mode. It's not a big deal so long as you time your recording so it doesn't end in the middle of a song. Also, even with a 40 GB hard drive, you will fill it up if you don't convert your wav files to mp3 files. I use MusicMatch to convert them to mp3pro files with a variable bit rate to assure the best sound quality and at the same time minimize size. I have Windows XP Pro and sometimes when I want to disconnect the unit, I get a message that it cannot be safely removed. Tech support said to ignore that, and just remove the unit anyhow, which I have done without any problems. When you delete files from the unit, make sure to empty the unit's recycle bin or you will lose space. I use the cleaner on Norton Systemworks. If you purchase this unit and spend the time to learn how it works, and also educate yourself about recording and converting music files, you won't be disappointed!
Rating: 
Summary: Why would anybody buy this $500? Radio? Cheap JUNK
Review: Buyer beware, the only thing that seems to work well on this is the RADIO. That's a nice add on but come on, is a radio worth $500?! And even that still suffers from muffled sound quality. Battery craps out after only 8-9 hours - I know that is not a bad life but it is only half what they advertize. Navigation is a pain and the hard drive and transfer is lots slower than even older ipods from 2002 . Maybe I'm wrong but a lot of the five star reviews here sound like they have 'Iriver staff' written all over them. I personally don't see why anybody would buy this junk, let alone rate it over 2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Review of iRiver iHP140
Review: Brief review of the iRiver iHP 140 MP3 Jukebox In late March, I researched portable recorders for voice, and decided upon the iRiver (1) because it has the capability of hundreds of hours of recording capacity, for recording candid conversations and daily journal entries; and (2) it can serve as a 40GB external hard drive via USB. I was disappointed to discover that, unlike my previous recorder (a Sony MD recorder), that it does NOT affix date and time info with the files (MP3s) recorded. This means that to keep track of the date of a recording, I have to speak that information at the beginning of each track, like the old days when I used cassette tape to make such recordings. iRiver touts "firmware" upgrades, so hopeful that this can be changed in the future, I wrote this email inquiry to iRiver Support:
"When I record using the mic, file date shows as 1/1/02. I need the date
of my recording to be associated with the file (MP3). How is this done?
(Files uploaded from my computer to my iHP-140 show their correct date and
time of origin when viewed from Windows 98se Explorer)" A week later, the reply was simply: "Since the player does not have a calendar or clock, you can not change the
date on the recorded files."
It seems clear to me that for a very small expense in battery life, a software clock could be programmed into the existing hardware. My digital cameras, computer, camcorder, cell phone, and MD recorder all have this fundamental capability. There is another problem with the iRiver: Upon receiving the unit, I did a recoding test at all available MP3 compressions (bitrates), and found that objectionable audio artifacts appear. I have worked with MP3 files using a computer and have never heard such annoying artifacts. Transition sounds (jingling keys, for example), have very audible sounds introduced which sound like the old delay-line flanger units produce (intentionally!) Voice sounds also have some of this "flanger noise". The artifacts become acceptable at or above bitrates of 128kbits/sec. I wrote to iRiver about this problem, but have not yet heard their answer. Again, I am hopeful that this can be changed in the future with firmware upgrades (program error fixes). However, considering the capacity of the hard drive in the iHP140, the unit is very satisfactory using this bitrate setting. Would it surprise you to learn that neither the hard drive nor the battery is replaceable in this recorders? Considering their projected life, this may not be much of a problem, as long as you keep original files backed up on your computer and plan to replace the unit with the latest technology in five years or so. On the supportive side, the USB port works great (at either the old or new standard).
There IS an external stereo microphone included in the package (altho it is not included in the contents listing) and it is very good. If you use the internal microphone, it picks up a small amount of hard drive noise.
Considering this recorder cost me $470, I expected a little more, but except for the first two items listed above, I am satisfied with my purchase.
If you are considering buying one on Ebay, it might be a waste of time (since this item is so new). The effort to save about $30 may not be worth the Ebay effort. I used Amazon Marketplace synbaxp@yahoo.com and received my order only two days after placing my purchase.
If any reader finds new information regarding the iHP140 problems, I would like to hear from you.
Chick Hebert
drchick@mindspring.com
Rating:
Summary: Setting the record straight once and for all
Review: OK, I've read all the reviews regarding the iRiver iHP-140 and although most reviews are positive, there are still some "bad" reviews. Having used the iRiver for a month now, I'm going to address all those "bad" reviews once and for all. Navigation - I've noticed that people compare the iRiver to the iPod and say that the iPod is more user friendly. This is true but it is relative. The reason the iPod seems more user friendly is because it has a LOT LESS features compared to the iRiver. Since the iRiver has many more features and settings than the iPod, the navigation is a little more complex. But if you take the 15 minutes to read the manual and then test out the unit, the navigation on the iRiver becomes user friendly. I am not going to list all the features of the iRiver, that you can read for yourself. Sound - Some bad reviews complained of average to terrible sound on the iRiver. This is simply NOT true. In fact, the iRiver has excellent sound. Do yourself a favor and purchase a good pair of earphones/headphones. If you are still not getting enough bass with the good earphones, then make sure you check the equilizer settings. If after all that and the sound is still terrible, then maybe it's your MP3/WMA/OGG file that is the source of the problem. Battery Life - The iRiver has awesome battery life. Sure it doesn't get the advertised 16 hours, but it comes pretty darn close. I'm averaging about 12 hours. My suggestion is to make sure that you let the unit charge fully (2-3 hours) before using it.
File Transfer Errors - I'm using Windows XP and have NO problems transferring files between the iRiver and the PC. If you are experiencing problems or errors, then most likely there is a problem with your PC configuration/settings. Negatives - The only negatives with the iRiver are (1) you can't record from the FM tuner to the hard drive. Hopefully this will be addressed in a firmware upgrade, (2) the horrible earphones that it comes with. They are average at best and (3) the tacky brown carrying case. A newer and nicer design is desperately needed. Summary - For the amount of features and options that you are getting on the iRiver, it is not only a great buy but also the new standard in hard-drive based media players. If the iPod is a base-model BMW, then the iRiver is a fully-loaded BMW. Both units are great, but you get a lot more with the iRiver.
Rating:
Summary: Great MP3 player
Review: ***** Added 5/13 - FM transmitter! About 3 weeks ago, I purchased a Belkin Tunecast II for use with this product. Sound quality is good. Finding a station to use on trips of about 30 miles is a challenge since you travel in and out of reception areas. Sometimes there is a faint buzz between songs. The volume also needs to be at about 15 to 20 on the iRiver, and about 1/2 way up on the radio. ***** First off - I do not own an IPOD, but I am sure it is a GREAT product. I do own the iRiver iHP 140 - and it is a TREMENDOUS product. Pros: To use - Read the manual then try the controls. You should be able to get the hang of this in about 15 minutes. I found the product easy to learn. I used Music Match to convert CDs to MPs (Read the review at CNet - very easy to do). I attached via USB, and my first test upload was able to move about 500 M of music in about 2 minutes. I also am using a Windows based PC. The sound quality is good - meaning I know what the song should sound like via CD, and this matches the sound closely. Battery life is at least 12 hours, with 1 of 4 'battery life' bars remaining after the 12 hours. The recharge is very fast - about 2 to 3 hours. The remote is very handy. Do pay attention that the jack on the remote is not a standard jack - use the 'converter' wire that comes with the unit to use most headphones. There is a slight noise from the internal harddrive - but you can only relaly notice it when you are between songs. Even then it is not that loud. Very Important - make sure you do not just unplug the unit from your PC. I think this might cause issues...;) The radio is a nice feature! You can also use this as a memo recorder! I have not upgraded the firmware - I have not been able to find a relase at iRiver.com. HOWEVER, if you do upgrade, make sure you read the manual, and follow the directions to the letter. Not doing so is a surefire way to wreak havoc with this unit. Cons
The earphones that come with this product stink - That is about the only think I did not like, but I bought an MP3 player, not a set of headphones. Something to improve - The case that ships is brown - I think it would look better if it was Black - bat that is not a big deal.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect for all the file type
Review: This player is perfect to play almost every kind of music or voice file formats. The quality is not bad. The only thing that I can complain is the earphone and the carrying case are not that good design and quality.
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